Disney classic movies are some of the most beloved films of all time. As such, fans were hesitant when they learned that Disney would be remaking many of their original animations as live-action films. While many of these live-action remakes have been widely criticized, there are some positive aspects to these new films.
The most successful live-action remake is clearly Beauty and the Beast. While many of the live-action remakes have been criticized for feeling like cheap imitations, this film had its own identity. There was something new to add to this story and fans were excited to hear it. It also helps that the characters in Beauty and the Beast are grounded in our world, meaning that many fans can identify with Belle and can identify a Gaston in their life. Check out these 6 reasons why the live-action film was better than the original, and these 4 reasons why the original will always be the best.
Live-Action: Stealing The Rose
In the original fairytale Beauty and the Beast written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740, Maurice is captured by the Beast when he tries to pick a rose from the Beast's garden to bring home to Belle. In the original Disney film, this was left out and the Beast apprehended Maurice simply for trespassing in his castle.
In the live-action remake, Maurice's theft returns to the story. While this will excite lovers of the original fairytale, this decision also adds a complexity to the Beast's capture of Maurice. Of course, this is still a huge overreaction on the Beast's part, but given his sensitive relationship with roses, his motivations are easier to understand.
Original: Eccentric Maurice
Belle's eccentric but brilliant father Maurice added a lot of joy to the original film. Fans were expecting a similar energy from this character in the remake. Unfortunately, this Maurice was a lot more tame and controlled. While he still was brilliant, the quirkiness with which he had been associated with was gone, leaving fans missing the Maurice they had come to love.
Live-Action: Backstory
In the original film, not much is known about what happened to Belle's mother and nothing is known about the Beast's past. The remake does a great job at providing more depth to these characters by creating a backstory for them both.
Fans are given the chance to see the prince grow into a troubled boy after his mother passed away, leaving him to be raised by his cruel father. This is significant as it shows that the prince is transformed following a pattern of behavior, not a choice in one circumstance. Belle becomes a woman curious about her mother and Maurice's inability to talk about what happened adds depth to both of these characters. When Belle travels to the past with Beast, the two bond over the loss of their mothers.
Original: Castle Servants
Fans were excited about the casting in Beauty and the Beast with huge names such as Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen portraying the castle's servants. Unfortunately, many of these characters fell short when compared to their original forms.
Though Lumière and Cogworth were played well, they didn't compare to the playful energy that existed between the characters in the first film. And no one can replace Angela Lansbury's flawless performance as Mrs. Potts.
Live-Action: New Songs
Three new songs were added to the live-action film, "Days in the Sun," "How Does a Moment Last Forever," and "Evermore." These songs were all written by Alan Menken and Tim Rice. Having the original composer on board helped these songs seamlessly integrate with the older songs.
While they added to the backstory, they also accomplished things that Menken had wanted but couldn't make work in the original animation, such as giving the Beast a power ballad.
Live-Action: Gaston and LeFou
One of the best things about the live-action remake is the relationship between Gaston and LeFou. Luke Evans and Josh Gad play off each other perfectly, adding new levels to their relationship. LeFou seemed like nothing more than a stupid henchman in the original film. In the remake, he is a character with his own identity and his relationship with Gaston seems more genuine.
Live-Action: Consequences For Passing Time
In the original film, the falling of the rose pedals seemed random. While it was clear that time was running out, all else remained the same. A clever change in the remake was giving more significance to the passing of time.
As the rose petals fell, the castle and its inhabitants were affected. With each fallen petal, the castle began to crumble and the characters slowly transformed, becoming less like their human selves and more like intimate objects.
Original: Animation
While the CGI in the live-action is stunning in its own way, there is something special about the original animation. With this style of animation becoming a thing of the past, it is even easier to appreciation this dying art form. The amount of detailed work that was required to pull off this film is astounding. and fans can't help but remain in awe of the talent of the original animators.
Live-Action: Modern Belle
Belle was always a head-strong and progressive character. But what seemed progressive upon the film's release in 1991 does not hold up today. In order to make Belle current and relevant, her character was modernized. There are specific examples of her cleverness beyond her love of books. She is shown to be an innovator and leader, just like her father.
While Belle teaches a young girl to read in the live-action remake, her reading to the Beast is removed from the remake. Instead, Beast is already an avid reader and the two bond over this connection. This is another subtle way in which Belle was given more agency as she shared a connection with the Beast over their similar interests and intellect rather than their relationship being mostly based on her caring for the Beast.
Original: Be Our Guest
The original "Be Our Guest" scene is one of the most memorable scenes in cinematic history. The bright and contrasting colors made the imagery of this scene stand out in the memories of many. The playfulness between Cogsworth and Lumiere in this scene is hilarious, leaving fans with a huge smile on their face. Belle's reaction to the spectacle is regularly shown and her excitement is palpable. The film also draws information from classic Hollywood musical films and stage shows as the characters dance on towers, perform synchronized swimming in a bowl of soap, and break into a kickline.
There was no way that the CGI version of this scene was going to be able to compare to this iconic scene. The muted color palate along with other CGI challenges made it impossible to match the energy of the original scene.